PBA Finals Alaska vs San Miguel Game 1 Jan 17, 2017

PBA Finals Alaska vs San Miguel game 1 Jan 17, 2017 - Alaska completes 4th quarter comeback to beat June Mar-less San Miguel in Game 1.

The Alaska Aces showed plenty of patience as they came back from a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter to beat San Miguel, 100-91, and take Game 1 of their SMART BRO PBA Philippine Cup Finals series on Sunday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

Alaska, which is looking to get some redemption after losing to San Miguel in both the Philippine Cup and Governors’ Cup a season ago, now leads 1-0 in the best-of-seven series.

Vic Manuel scored 14 of his game-high 24 points in the fourth quarter as he led an Alaska comeback from 12 points down. The Aces outscored the Beermen by 18, 34-16, to turn things around in the final period.

Cyrus Baguio added 16 points, Chris Banchero had 15 while Calvin Abueva had a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds in the win.

San Miguel, which was playing without injured MVP June Mar Fajardo, was led by Alex Cabagnot with 20 points.

The first quarter was a game of runs, with San Miguel throwing the first punch with a 13-4 run – six of those from Cabagnot.

But things started to change with the entry of Abueva from off the Alaska bench. He immediately made an impact, grabbing rebounds and kickstarting the Aces’ transition game.

Abueva scored or assisted on nine of the Aces’ next 13 points as they mounted a 17-4 rally to reclaim the lead, 21-17, late in the first period.

Gabby Espinas, though, completed an and-one play in the paint and, after RJ Jazul drove to the hoop for two on the opposite end, Cabagnot banked in a three-pointer right at the buzzer, tying the game at 23-all.

In the second, the teams mostly traded baskets until the Beermen got into a rhythm late in the period, going on an 9-3 run to close the half with a four-point lead, 42-38.

Cabagnot led all scorers with 14 points in the first two periods. Abueva, meanwhile, had seven points and eight big rebounds at the halfway point but was held scoreless in the second quarter.

Marcio Lassiter then heated up in the third, scoring a variety of ways to lead the San Miguel charge. He was able to complete a three-point play, knock down from the outside and even connect on a one-legged, off-balanced jumper from the baseline as he tallied 11 points in that quarter alone.

His triple at the 1:11 mark of the period kicked off a furious 9-2 finish that turned a two-point game into a much more comfortable nine-point lead, 75-66, heading into the fourth.

Yancy De Ocampo, filling in for Fajardo in the SMB starting lineup, then opened the fourth quarter with a booming triple, putting the lead at 12 big points, 78-66.

But Alaska would not be held down for very long, mounting a 16-4 run to get back into the ballgame.

Manuel was the star for Alaska in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 in the fourth period,but there were plenty of other players that came up big for the Aces.

Abueva tied the game for Alaska at 86-all after an aggressive drive and Banchero made a crucial three-point play that made it 91-88 with 2:16 remaining.

After a clutch three-pointer from Cabagnot, Manuel was quick to counter and JVee Casio drilled in a clutch triple for good measure, 96-91.

Banchero made another huge play after that, following up a missed attempt from Baguio to make it an eight-point advantage, 98-91, with 40 seconds left. Baguio capped the win with a finish in transition after a San Miguel miss.

Lassiter finished with 19 points while the veteran De Ocampo had 18 points and seven rebounds in the starting role.





The scores:

ALASKA 100 – Manuel 24, Baguio 16, Banchero 15, Abueva 12, Exciminiano 6, Jazul 6, Casio 5, Hontiveros 5, Menk 5, Thoss 4, Baclao 2, Dela Rosa 0.

SAN MIGUEL 91 – Cabagnot 20, Lassiter 19, De Ocampo 18, Tubid 13, Espinas 11, Arana 4, Santos 4, Ross 2, Lutz 0, Semerad 0.

Quarters: 11-4, 42-38, 75-66, 100-91